Three men were stabbed and battered with baseball bats as they lay injured in the wreckage of a crashed car.

The brutal attack followed a high-speed car chase early today.

Police are investigating whether the silver Vauxhall Astra was rammed off the road by one of two cars pursing it.

It smashed into a tree, leaving three men inside hurt.

Men in the following two cars then pulled up to the wreckage and set upon the men trapped inside with knives and bats.

All three were repeatedly stabbed and beaten.

</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The attack – described by detectives as 'exceptionally violent' – took place in Radcliffe Road in the Redvales area of Bury at 12.40am.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The damaged car was still at the scene today as forensic examinations were taking place.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">One man, a 30-year-old from Bolton, is fighting for his life in hospital. His condition was described by police as critical.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The man, who has not been named, suffered multiple injuries and swelling on the brain.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The two others – men aged 27 and 35 – were said to be in a comfortable condition.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">All three suffered minor stab wounds, multiple injuries and cuts.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The motive for the attack was under investigation today.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The injured men were taken to Fairfield Hospital in Bury then transferred to Salford Royal Hospital.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Firefighters and paramedics were also called to the scene. It took fire fighters around 40 minutes to prise the roof off the Astra.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Police said a road pursuit was being investigated.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">A spokesman said: “It is believed that the car had been pursued by two other cars before it collided with the tree.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">“The occupants of the other vehicles got out, armed themselves with baseball bats and knives, and set about the other men. They repeatedly hit them with the bats and stabbed them with knives, leaving all three occupants with injuries.”</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Det Chief Insp Lynne Vernon, head of Bury CID, said: “This was an exceptionally violent incident that will quite rightly shock the community.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">“One man is now fighting for his life and two others received less serious injuries. We are at a very early stage of the investigation and cannot speculate on what led up to this incident. We also do not have a full description of the pursuing vehicles.</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">“A crime scene will remain open for some time so unfortunately there could be some local disruption, however we are doing our best to get back to normal as soon as possible.”</p> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Witnesses or anyone with information can call Bury CID on 0161 856 8150 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.</p>